When I was around 7 years old my paternal grandmother gave me a huge Polaroid camera for Christmas. I remember holding the photos under my arm waiting for them to develop, desperate to see the finished image.  Unfortunately, the cost of replacement cartridges meant that the camera had little use once the supply my gran bought me had run out.

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Fast forward a few years in high school, a science teacher and also keen photographer, who'd had a small walk-in cupboard converted into a dark room, somehow caught on to my photographic interest.  He handed me a very large camera with a roll of film and told me to take it home for a week and go out and take pictures.  I never knew what all the knobs and dials were for, but I merrily clicked away until the roll of film was used up. I still have two framed B&W photographs from that time of my much younger brother, who'd been my 'model'.  I probably had to bribe him with sweets!  They remind me of the fascination and pleasure I felt watching them come to life in the dark room.

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That was as far as my photographic experience went, other than the usual holiday snaps.  My parents couldn't afford to support what was an expensive hobby at the time and then life and new experiences caught my interest.  It wasn't until New Year 2013 that I decided, once and for all, to learn the art of photography and to finally understand what all those knobs and dials are for.  Then, the unexpected death of my lovely mam in January 2014 had a profound effect on me.  Time in this life moves swiftly and it can be easily cut short.  If there's something you've always wanted to do, make every effort to do it.  With the full support of my wonderful husband, I was able to take a year out of work during 2014 and throw myself into the fascinating world of photography, learning as much as I could from on-line resources and by completing a series of courses at Ffotogallery, Cardiff.  Now I’m rarely without my camera.  It’s an honour to be asked to take photographs for people.  It’s those moments caught in time that will mean a lot to people for many years to come. That, after all, is what photography is about; capturing special moments in time that will endure beyond our own lifetimes.  Looking back at old photographs of loved ones can make you feel extreme joy and sadness all at once; such great power printed on a piece of paper.

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I hope you enjoy my photographs as much as I enjoy creating them.